<p>Has anyone been? We would love some input…</p>
<p>We are considering going there in August, but need some advice…we want to stay somewhere where two teen D can have fun, safe fun, and mom and dad won’t get bored but will be able to relex…</p>
<p>not sure where to stay, food and shopping isn’t as important as D being able to walk to places, have fun, and explore without giving parents heartattacks</p>
<p>thanks in advance</p>
<p>We have gone many times always in August. It is a great place for teens to have a little independence. There is really not much trouble they can get in.
We have stayed at a variety of places. Nicest was the Metropole. You can walk to everything without any hills. Has a rooftop hot tub. Included continental breakfast the yrs we stayed. </p>
<p>Have also stayed at the Best Western. It is up a hill a bit out of town but walkable. Definitely easier walking to the beach then back up. They have a shuttle van that runs you up and down the hill. The rooms are spacious and it has a pool. They have a place you can get breakfast but its not included in the price of the room. It is also close to the golf course and the tennis courts. Though August will be a little warm to play.
One of the best options is renting a house. It can be hard to get. Many people come back year after year the same week and rent the same house. With almost all the rental companies you are guaranteed the same house up till 6 months before the date. If you look into it now you might find something. There are a number of different companies that you might find by doing a google search. The house we stayed in was a bit old and tired but we had a little yard and the kids enjoyed grilling the fish they caught. And the added space over a hotel was worth it. There are some nice large houses for rent but they are really expensive and we found impossible to get.
The hotels on Crescent that are on the section that is closed to traffic get really noisy at night.
There are also condos out at Hamilton Cove that come with a golf cart. Some people like that they are newer and there is a beach right there. But you have to go into town by the golf cart for dinner. Also it doesn’t seem like as much fun for the teens since they have to depend on you for a ride.
The water quality is fair but you do feel like you are really away from it all.
Have fun</p>
<p>CGM–it’s funny on your thread I was going to suggest Catalina too but in my entire life as a socal kid and then a norcal adult, I have never been there! Please do let us know if you go, how you like it. Sounds tempting!</p>
<p>I have already started looking for a house to rent for the week…being able to go into long beach and shop, and sit around catalina relaxing sounds like the best of both worlds- my Ds are happy, my H is and so am I. We are driving so he can bring golf clubs and Ds can way over pack!!!</p>
<p>How funny that my D was just there a month or so ago. She went with her school class and they had a great time. Now I haven’t been there in about 40 years myself but here are some tips based on her experience:</p>
<p>You will walk the entire town of Avalon in about 10 minutes. Literally. It is that small. My D said she carried her bag off the boat, strolled a block or two to their hotel, and couldn’t believe that on that walk, she saw all there was to see. So other than the Wrigley mansion and some excellent hiking trails in the wild parts of the island, there isn’t a whole lot to do. Of course in town there’s golf and fishing and all sorts of tour boats to go out in, but otherwise I’d really recommend bringing a good book or TWO, some suntan lotion, and plan to RELAX. Yes you can walk everywhere and your Ds will be perfectly safe going off on their own–they can’t go far and there’s little in the way of trouble to get into anyway. And there’s no traffic. Everyone drives around in these little golf carts which sounds sort of cute. For evenings, plan on a movie or maybe a nice stroll, and that’s it, because when they were there everything, and I mean all the shops and restaurants, shut down by 7pm. Now in the summer there’s more tourists and they said things are livelier and open later, but right now maybe not so much.</p>
<p>sounds great- my D want to take the water taxi into Long Beach a day or two, and we will do the boats, snorkling and such…just haning out sounds good…lots of books too</p>
<p>citygirlsmom- Remind your D that most people usually walk from the ferry to their hotel or rental so she will most probably be carrying everything she brings.<br>
When we go we settle in for the week. I guess you could go back to the mainland for the day. My D and her friend always found plenty of stuff to look at in the stores on Catalina. During the summer everything is open late and lots of people out for a stroll after dinner and an ice cream.</p>
<p>Cool. I told my Ds they could bring what ever they wanted as long as they could carry it…same…my H can out ALL his clothes for a week in his golfbag!!</p>
<p>As for going to the mainland, its more of an adventure for my teen Ds…getting away from the ole folks and all that</p>
<p>I think we found a house for the week!!!</p>
<p>sea kayaking, hike to the Wrigley memorial for a view (can’t remember the name), dinner at the restaurant at the airport (a long and winding drive to it), ecotour of the natural reserve, rent a golf cart to cruise around town, cheesy glass bottom boat tour…have fun</p>